"...we go live now to our robot on OPF-4, which is about to witness the second encounter ever with the strange aliens known as 'Cronins'."

"Now this is the same field just outside the ship that the Chronins previously attacked, right Mabel?"

"You got it, John.  And here the Cronins come now."

"Say, what's Gowan doing?"

"Well, apparently Cronins hate radios.  So by throwing his away - make that destroying it - by destroying his radio, he's signaling cooperation."

"And throwing his pistol away doesn't hurt, either, right?"

"Of course.  And now the rest of the team is doing the same; looks like they're banking everything on this one."

"And it pays off, the Chronins are also throwing down their weapons.  Say, Mabel, why are there two kinds of Chronin?"

"Actually, only the black, taurish one is a Cronin.  The rest are a species called Kefrons, which are the enemy of the Cronins."

"If they're enemies, why are they working together?"

"I think the - whoa, who's that coming up to Sacha and the Cronin?"

"According to the computer, that's Adjutant Michael Verres.  I wonder why he's getting involved?"

"Looks like Gowan is wondering the same thing!  Is Michael disobeying orders to get some extra camera time?"

"I think there's something else going on.  Look how the Chronin is - defending him?"

"It certainly looks that way, John.  And now it looks like he's going to the Kefrons."

"Wait - Sacha's trying to talk to him now, and it seems the Chronin is letting her."

"But he's still not saying anything.  I have to wonder what would prompt a stunt like this."

"You got me, Mabel.  The computer says he's generally pretty shy."

"Well, looks like we get to keep wondering.  It looks like he's leaving with the aliens."

"So he is.  Well, we definitely got more questions than answers from this encounter."

"True, but look on the bright side - they managed to negotiate peace, or at least a ceasefire."

-BBC coverage of the second meeting of the Xrionans with the crew of Ender.

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